I’m working my way through our Saturday evening practice group’s song backlog, and here’s one we transcribed back in mid-July. It’s another Daniel De Leon Guerrero piece, written in honor of Angel Santos, a political activist who championed the rights of the Chamorro people. In this song, we get a musical tribute that amplifies his calls to action—urging the Chamorro people to stand up and defend our culture, customs, people, and land.

As always, this post includes Chamorro lyrics and an English translation for the song Fanohge by Daniel De Leon Guerrero. Happy listening!

Esti na kånta humúhuyong espesiåt para si Anghet LG Såntos	This song is created especially for Angel LG Santos
yan todu i ayudu-ña nu i taotao i tano’	and all of his help for the Chamorro people

Ha gos mantieni i kuttura	he held the culture strongly
Ha susedi mapresu put i hinenggen-ña	he experienced being imprisoned for his beliefs
Ya sesso di tuhu påpa’ i lago’-ña	and often his tears flow down
Put i mabidå-ña i tano’ guelo yan guela	for what was done to the land of our ancestors1

Ilek-ña, “Esti na isla ginen as guelo yan guela	He said, “This island is from grandfather and grandmother
Para hita ni famagu’on-ña	For us, who are its children
Pues fanohge ya en prutehi	And so, stand up and (you all) protect
I kuttura, i råsa, tano’-ta”	the culture, the race, our land”

Ti bai maleffa nu ayu na tiempu	I will not forget that time
Annai umessalao, “Fanohge Chamoru	When he screamed, “Stand up, Chamorros
sa’ siempri un diha fera di på’gu	Because surely a day besides today
ta fanmarespeta2 i raså-ta ni manChamoru”	We will be respected as a race, us who are Chamorro

Ilek-ña, “Esti na isla ginen as guelo yan guela	He said, “This island is from grandfather and grandmother
para hita ni famagu’on-ña	For us who are its children
pues fanohge ya en difendi	So stand up and (you all) defend
i raså-ta, i kustumbre, yan i kuttura”	Our race, the customs, and the culture”

Kuarentai kuatru åñus ha’ nai edåt-ña	He was only forty-four years old
Annai kinneni as Yu’os para u deskånsa	When he was taken by God to rest
Ya bula mangåti guihi na ha’åni	And a lot of people cried that day
Annai ha dingu hit, etmås uníniku, guini na isla	When he left us, the most unique individual, here on this island

Pues espisiåt esti på’gu na kantå-ku	Then this my song is special, now
Para magåhet hao ni etmås uniku	For you truly, the most unique one
Ya ti bai maleffa ni fina’na’gue-mu	And I wont forget your teachings
Put i kuttura, i lina’la’ i manChamoru	About the culture, the life of the Chamorro

Ilek-ña, “Esti na isla ginen as guelo yan guela	He said, “This island from our ancestors
Para hita ni famagu’on-ña	for us, who are its children
Pues fanohge ya en difendi	so stand up and (you all) defend
I kuttura kontodu i raså-ta	the culture, including our race
I kuttura, i kustumbren i raså-ta	the culture, the customs of our race
Ai difendi i kuttura yan i raså-ta”	Oh defend the culture and our race”

Notes

1. guelo yan guela: This literally translates to “grandfather and grandmother” but in this context refers to ancestors. ↩︎
2. ta fanmarespeta: This phrase means “We will be respected.” The construction of the word fanmarespeta indicates that we are the ones who will be respected because of the Passive Ma- Prefix. Then a Plural Fan- Prefix in the front is used for 3+ people. Ta marespeta = We (2) will be respected; Ta fanmarespeta = We (3+) will be respected. ↩︎